Process of making arch-support insoles



March 5, 1 929. I A. s. CURTIS 1,704,656

PROCESS OF- MAKING ARCH SUPPORT INSOLES Filed July 6, 1927 Patented Mar. 5,1929.

warren stares ARNOLD s. con'rrs, or MAnLBono, MAssAorrUs' 'rrs.

,rnocnss or MAKING Anon-sorrow 'INSOLES'.

,Application filed .nu "s, 19,27. Serial uo;,aos,s51.

This invention relates to shoes designed to give effective support to the archof the foot,

dinal arch of the foot. The novel insole and the novel shoe embodying the insole form the subject-matter of a divisional application for United States Letters Patent, Serial No.

259,032, filed March 5, 1928.

Insolesof the type referred to have been proposed heretofore andgenerally they have been successful 'in their purpose-so long as the arch supporting element retains its shape and proper position, but this has been found trated ln-the drawings an insole blank 10 shaped to fit the outline of the last bottom to be diiiicult because of the materials used, which may not stand up under the heavy strains on the shoe when worn, or because of V the difficulty in lasting the upper about the arch support element and drawing it into its proper relation to the last when the shoe is being built.

The object of the present invention is to provide an insole which embodies an archsupport element that is preshaped to fitv the instep of the last and, in addition, will retain its shape and corrective effect on the foot of the wearer of theshoe into which it is built, under the strains of wear. According ly an important feature of the invention resides in the manner in which the insole and its arch-support element are assembled to form a unitary article as will hereinafter be set forthin detail. 7 I To the accomplishment of the above ob]ect and such others as may hereinafter appear, as will be understood"from the following description by those skilled in the art, the

invention comprises the manufacturing processeshereinafter described and then particu-- larly pointed out in the appended claims. 7 The process of manufacture will be described by reference to the accompanying drawing in which: I

Figure 1 is a view, in perspective, of an insole blankhaving a grain side lip cut at its inside shank; Figs. 2 and 3 are views in planand section respectively, of the arch support bracev or other element to be received in the shank slit V.

Fig. i is a view, in perspective, of the ribbed side of a welt insole showing the archsupport brace attached;

v Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view, in plan, showing in dotted lines the initial assembly of the arch-support brace with the insole and in the plane thereof, and showing in full lines the final, arch-fitting position ofthe brace, prov 3ecting upwardly and outwardly from the sock faceof the insole and Fig. 6 1s a vlew, 1n cross-section, of an unbottomed welt shoehaving the novel archsupport insole as a feature.

In explaining the invention the manufacture of an insole for a welt shoe will be described but'those skilled in theart of shoe-I "making will recognize that theinvention is I useful in the manufacture of any type of shoe which uses an insole in its construction.

In the embodimentof the invention illuss is fitted with a light lip 12 (Fig.1), on its gram slde or sock face throughout the inside shank. This operation may readily be per formed by a Goodyear insole channeling ma-- ch1ne fitted with a straight'knifeand edge gage arranged. adjacent to the shank edge.

of the insole to produce an edge slit 14 parthrough the heel-seat and outat the'ball-line, as 1llustrated,but for the'purposes of this in ventionslit substantially as long as the longitudlnal dimension of the arch-support allel thereto. The slit 14 maybe made more rap1dly in such a machine by running in brace 16 '(Fig. 2) is all that is required Thereafter, for a welt insole, the flesh side or tread face'is fitted with a sewing rib 18. in

any approved'manner which providesa channel-.20 andfeather It will be observed,-

from Fig. 4, that the" base of the grain side lip slit 14 is somewhat inward of the be tween-substance or base ofthe sewing-rib 18 aifording'ample depth for receiving the brace 16, preferably of a relatively heavy leather such as heeling stock.

The arch-support element 16 has somewhat the shape of a box-toe but is longer in proportion to its width and its outer or arch fitting portion 24 (Fig. 2) is larger than its inner or securing margin 26. -The portion I 24 must belarge enough to embrace the instep of the last while the portion 26 requires only 2 sufficient material for anchorage to the insole. As seen from Fig. 3 both longitudinal edges of the brace 16 are skived as is requisite for good shoemaking.

Referring now to Fig. 5 (dot and dash lines) it will be observed that the outcurve ofthe inner edge 28 of the element 16 is flatter than the incurve of the edge slit 14. In

orderto seat theedge 28 against the base-of the slit '14, as'in'Figs. 1 and'6, it is necessary to flex the brace 16 longitudinally. If the element .16 is bent so that itis convened toward the sock-face of thesole-thenywhen' seated in the, edge slit 14, it will stand up- 12 is cemented, and is-then laid down on the V wardly and outwardly relative to said "sock I properly positioned in theslit 14', it isstapled to the feather .22, as at 5, drivingthe staple through from the feather and clenchin g'it on'the brace beneatlrtheturned or raised lip 12. After having been anchored at one end the element 1 6 may easily be, shaped'by pressure toward ltS secured end toseat completely in the slit lat, its other end is then secured to retain its flexed form and thereafter the intermediate fasten-ings may be applied. Obviously any suitable fasten- .ingmeans may be used although metallic staples are preferred.

To complete the arch-fitting insole the under side of the lip marginal portion 26 of the shaped and upstanding element 16 in any conv enient manner as by a stick. p I

It-is within the scopeof the invention to varyv the shape of the brace element 16 as illustrated by Fig. 2. A curved inner edge on the'portion 26 is preferable because after l, flexing, it provides. an ample marginv within 'theslit 14 for secure anchorage but any shape that provides an adequate ZlIIChOIHIg margin after flexure maybe selected. A curved outer edge'on the portion 28 is preferable be cause this shape better fits the upper limits of the contour of the instep. of the foot, permitting perfectlasting and preventing wrinkling the upper materials.

The insole is now ready for assembly on the last with the counterand, upper materials. It will be observed that the insole blank 10 and arch-fittingsupport'ltiare firmly secured together an d the two elements may be handled asa unitary article in the further shoemak ing processes. When the insole is placed on the last bottom the preshaped brace 16 fits against the contour ofthe instep of the last and no substantial shaping thereof is required during the lasting operation. As a result superior shoemaking is attained. At-

I tention is particularly called to the novel process of assembling, the brace and insole b1-a1 k beeause the highly important advantage of having'th'e brace. retainiits arch-fitting form after being bnilt into the shoe is obtained'by securing. the. brace in position after, not before, it has been flexed to fit the arch.

" After'theu'pper materials have been lasted the feather 22, at the inside shank, is brought into contact with the under side of the brace (li ig. 6) theslightly lifted lip 12, however,

aids in causing the insole to fit the last bot tom at the shank and permits easier'and more perfect lasting at this difiicult part oi the shoe. usual, awelt 32 being first inseamedto the sewing-rib 18 in making awelt shoe asillustrated in 6. It will be observed that in a welt insole the-brace 16'is secured (see Fig. 6') above the plane of the inseam andbetween-substance leaving the feather wholly unobstructed and hence notinterfering in any way withthe process of lasting as at present performed. No regard whatever need be paid by the laster tothe' arch-fitting brace because it assumes its proper position in the shoe on assembly of the insole with thelast, being'a unitary part of the-insole, and lies duringthe lasting operation entirely below the tread face of the insole and the marginal portion of the upper materials that are being manipulated.

The novel arch-support insole and the shoe having said insole incorporated-therein are The shoe is thereafter: bottomedas not claimed herein because that aspect of the invention is claimed in a divisional application Serial No. 259,032,,filedMarch 5,1928.

T he nature and scope of the invention having been indicated andthe preferred con-- struction of the insole and the process of its manufacture hav ng been specifically described, what is claimed as new, is

1. The process of making arch-supportinso'les which comprises slitting the edge. ofl-an insole blanlr'along its inside shank, preparing abrace element having a convex outer margin, and securing Esaidbrace by itsinner margin between the two lips produced v by said edge slitting operation.

i 2. The process ofmaking arch-supportinsoles whichcomprises slitting the edge of an insole. blankalong its inside shank, the base-- of; said slit being substantially parallelto the concave.- edge of the blank, preparing a brace element'having an inner margin with convexly curred edge that is flatter than the curve of the base of said slit, amlfi'ijially securing said brace within said slit with its 11111161 edge seated against the base of said sit.

the baseof said slit, fiexingsaid. brace element 3. The process ofmakingarch-supportinsoles which-comprises slitt ng the edge of an blank to fit the outline of the last bottom, preparing an arch-support element having an inner edge that is convexly curved but flatter than the curve at the inside shank of said blank, and securing said element by its inner margin to the margin of said insole blank at its inner shank after first flexing said element to produce a curve at its inner edge that is substantially complemental to the curve of said inside shank.

5. The process of making arch-support insoles which comprises slitting the edge of an insole blank along its inside shank, the base of said slit being substantially parallel to the concave edge of the blank, preparing a brace element having an edge shape at its inner margin that is flatter than the curve of the baseof said slit, placing said inner margin Within the slit and securing one end of the element to the blank, then flexing said element by pressing toward said secured end until its inner edge is curved substantially complement-alto the curve of the base of said slit, and finally completely securing the inner margin to the insole blank While the element is held flexed. r

6. The process of making arch-support insoles which comprises slitting theedge of an insole blankalong its inside shank, prepar- I ing a brace element of substantial box-toe shape, flexing said element lOIlgltllCllIlELllY,

and securing said element While thus flexed Within said slit.

7. The process of making arch-support insoles which comprises slitting the edge of an insole blank along its inside shank, preparing a brace element of substantial box-toe shape, bending said element to an arch-fitting form, and securing its flatter margin Within said slit in a manner to hold said shaped element upstanding from the slit edgeoii'the insole above its sock face. r

8. The process of making arch-supporting insoleswhich comprises flexing a flat leather arch-support before complete attachment to the insole tov substantially-fit the instep portionof the last, and then completely securing the flexed arch-support to the margin of the insole at its inside shank.

ARNOLD S. CURTIS. 

